Going JoeyPersonal travel planning Plan my trip

Personal travel planning · Going Joey

Go farther.
Travel your way.

Anyone can book a flight. What I do is different: I plan the whole trip around you — the pace you like, the places you'd never find alone, and a real person in your corner from the first idea to the flight home.

25+ countries explored Going Joey LLC — my own business Travel insurance guidance on every trip Perks & upgrades where partners offer them Real human help, start to finish
Egypt journeysMoroccoAfrican safarisAsiaSouth AmericaEurope, done customRiver cruisesEurope by trainHidden gemsGroup cruisesSports & event travelDestination weddingsBoat & yacht daysAll-inclusive resortsFamily vacationsRoad tripsDay tripsTransfers & car rentalTravel insuranceVIP perks
25+countries explored firsthand
Dozensof U.S. states covered by road
1real person planning your trip
Every stylequick escapes to big adventures

Where to?
Start dreaming here.

These are the trips people ask me about most — and the ones I know best. Tap any destination and I'll start shaping your version of it.

A reunion at sea · June 2027

Old friends.
Different countries.
One ship, together again.

Some trips are vacations. This one is a homecoming. Our group cruise brings together friends who now live in different countries — people who know each other, who have gathered before, and who are coming together again the way we did a couple of years ago. This time, we meet aboard MSC Virtuosa for a Mediterranean sailing out of Barcelona in June 2027.

It isn't a public package or a deal to sell — it's our circle, our reunion, planned with care so all anyone has to do is show up and enjoy being together again. If you're part of the group, you already know: reach out to me directly by email or social and I'll walk you through everything personally.

Thinking your own friends or family — scattered across states or countries — deserve a reunion like this? That's exactly the kind of group trip I love to plan. Tell me who's coming and where you're dreaming of, and I'll handle the ships, cabins, and coordination.

MSC Virtuosa sailing across a calm blue Mediterranean Sea The Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, Italy, in the Mediterranean

Group details are shared directly with the group — the way a reunion should be. For your own group sailing, every detail, option, and travel insurance choice is explained personally before anything is booked.

The three Pyramids of Giza at sunset, Egypt

The Egypt difference

Egypt isn't a destination I sell.
It's home.

I studied in Cairo, I speak Arabic fluently, and Egypt is where my own travel story begins.

Most Americans dream about Egypt but hesitate — the language, the logistics, the bargaining, not knowing who to trust. That's exactly the gap I close. You'll see the Pyramids, Luxor, and the Nile with the confidence of traveling with someone who knows the country from the inside.

  • Fluent Arabic speaker — nothing gets lost in translation
  • Trusted local guides, drivers, and Nile cruise partners
  • Honest pacing — the icons, plus the Egypt tourists miss
Plan my Egypt trip

Europe your way —
river, rail, road, or escorted.

Europe is the trip Americans ask me about most after Egypt — and there's more than one right way to do it. Sail it on a river ship, cross it by train, let an escorted coach tour carry the logistics, or go fully custom with private drivers. I plan all four — and mix them.

The classics, done right

The Europe you pictured

Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Croatia — and the great Central Europe pairing of Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Multi-city trips stitched together so the journey feels like part of the vacation, not a commute.

  • River cruises — the Danube, Rhine, Seine, and Douro: unpack once and wake up somewhere new, with the right line, cabin, and pre- and post-cruise nights matched to you
  • Europe by train — rail passes and point-to-point tickets booked for you: the Bernina and Glacier Express over the Alps, high-speed city pairs, scenic routes without the rental-car stress
  • Escorted coach tours — prefer company and zero logistics? Guided multi-country tours with the driving, hotels, and guiding handled — a real option, not a compromise
  • Fully custom — hand-picked stays, private transfers between cities, and local guides, built the slow way
ItalyFranceSpainGreecePortugalCroatiaPrague · Vienna · BudapestDanube & Rhine river cruisesSwiss scenic trains
Plan my Europe trip → A river cruise ship sailing the Danube through Austria's Wachau Valley
Hidden gems · off the beaten path

The Europe most people never see

Already done Paris and Rome? This is the second-time Europe I get excited about — smaller cities, local tables, and places your friends haven't posted yet.

  • Montenegro — the Bay of Kotor, Europe's southernmost fjord: a walled old town under towering mountains, plus Budva's beaches and the Tara River canyon
  • The Balkans — Albania and North Macedonia, Lake Ohrid by boat, sunset at Prizren Fortress
  • Košice, Slovakia — a charming old-town gem most tours skip entirely
  • Eger, Hungary — wine country beyond Budapest, by private transfer
  • Second-time classics — Budapest by bike and cave, Kraków behind the Iron Curtain, the Tatra mountains at Zakopane
Show me hidden Europe → The Bay of Kotor and its red-roofed old town in Montenegro, ringed by mountains

Two more continents,
wide open.

The map doesn't stop at Europe and Egypt. Asia and South America take more planning — longer flights, more moving parts, bigger payoffs — which is exactly where a planner earns his keep.

The red torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Japan
Asia

Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Bali & beyond

Bullet trains between Tokyo and Kyoto, lantern-lit evenings in Hội An, island-hopping in Thailand, temple mornings in Bali. I pace the long flights, line up private guides and drivers, and build in recovery days — so the trip of a lifetime doesn't feel like a marathon.

  • Japan — Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, a Mt. Fuji day trip, rail passes sorted
  • Thailand & Vietnam — Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the islands; Hanoi, Hạ Long Bay, Hội An
  • Bali & beyond — honeymoons, family trips, and slow travel done right
Plan my Asia trip →
The colorful houses of La Boca's Caminito street in Buenos Aires, Argentina
South America

Brazil, Argentina, Peru & beyond

Rio's beaches and samba, tango in Buenos Aires, Patagonia's wild edges, Machu Picchu at sunrise. The distances are big and the logistics matter — I stitch the flights, guides, and stays into one smooth route.

  • Brazil — Rio de Janeiro, Iguazú Falls, Salvador, the Amazon
  • Argentina — Buenos Aires, Mendoza wine country, Patagonia, Bariloche
  • Peru & more — Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley; Chile and Colombia on request
Plan my South America trip →

The moments are
the whole point.

Destinations are just the backdrop. These are the moments people actually come home talking about — and every one of them can be planned for, not just hoped for.

Two children running along the shoreline on a beach while their parents walk behind them
Families

Paced for small legs

Two kids racing along the shoreline, parents strolling behind — that's the speed a family trip should move at. Kid-friendly stays, connecting rooms, and days with room to breathe.

Plan a family trip →
A couple watching the sun set over the ocean from the edge of an infinity pool
Couples

Just the two of you

A couple watching the sun go down over the ocean, an infinity pool at their feet. Honeymoons, anniversaries, and just-because trips for two — with the sunset hours planned in, not left to luck.

Plan a trip for two →
A therapist giving an outdoor massage at a garden spa
Massage & relaxing

Slow days, on purpose

An outdoor massage in a garden spa. Rest belongs in the plan, not on a wish list — spa hotels, hammams, and slow mornings built into the itinerary.

Plan a relaxing getaway →
Travelers in an open safari vehicle watching two elephants pass at close range in Tanzania
On safari

This close is normal

Travelers in an open vehicle in Tanzania, watching elephants pass a few feet away. On a good game drive, this is an ordinary morning — my job is the right park, the right season, and the right seat.

Plan my safari →
A snorkeler floating in the clear turquoise sea off the Gili Islands, Indonesia
Swimming

In the water

Snorkeling in the clear, warm water off Indonesia's Gili Islands. If your trip has a beach, I'll make sure it also has a reef, a boat day, or at least one unforgettable swim.

Plan a beach trip →
A traditional felucca sailboat on the Nile at Aswan, Egypt, with desert dunes behind
Egypt

Sailing the Nile

A traditional felucca gliding past the desert dunes at Aswan. Every Egypt trip I build makes time for the river — a cruise between Luxor and Aswan, and a quiet felucca sail at golden hour.

Plan my Egypt trip →
A river cruise ship sailing the Rhine Gorge in Germany, below a castle on the cliffs
River cruises

Castles from your deck

A river ship sailing the Rhine Gorge in Germany, castles standing on the cliffs above. Unpack once and wake up somewhere new — I'll match you to the right river, line, and cabin.

Plan a river cruise →
Your moment is next. Whatever the trip looks like in your head, it starts with one message — and the first conversation is free. Start planning →

However you go,
it's covered.

One call handles the whole trip — or just the pieces you don't want to wrestle with yourself. Here's what lands on my desk so it never lands on yours.

Paper-cut travel journal, tickets, sunglasses, and compass
01

Vacations, road trips & day trips

From faraway countries to multi-state drives — and the single-day escapes in between — get a route, pace, and stay plan built around you.

  • Custom day-by-day itineraries
  • Road trips with the stops worth making
  • Day trips & weekend escapes
  • Family trips & celebrations
Paper-cut cruise ship deck with travelers relaxing by the pool
02

Groups & cruises

One point of contact for cabins, questions, and the moving pieces that come with traveling together.

  • Friends & family reunion sailings
  • Group cabins, coordinated for everyone
  • Universities, churches & cultural groups
  • Arabic-speaking groups — planned in English or Arabic
  • Every traveler kept in the loop
Paper-cut coastal resort with umbrellas and a small plane overhead
03

Flights, stays, cars, transfers & insurance

Flights, hotels, resorts — plus the ground game: a driver waiting when you land, a car when you want the wheel, and travel insurance, so a canceled flight or a medical surprise doesn't turn into a financial one.

  • All-inclusive resorts
  • Hotels with advisor perks
  • Airport pickup & private transfers, door to door
  • Car rental, bundled with your hotels
  • Travel insurance, matched to your trip

More ways I can help

The trips people don't realize a planner can handle — until they ask. If it's on this list, one message to me starts it.

Celebrations

Destination weddings & honeymoons

Say it somewhere unforgettable — a wedding in Egypt, a celebration in Europe, or a resort ceremony in the Caribbean. I handle the travel side end to end: matching the venue, negotiating the group room block (free nights, upgrades, and credits toward the wedding can come out of a good block), and being the one contact for every guest's booking, payments, and changes — plus the legal checklist of licenses and documents, and group excursions while everyone's together.

Scope, honestly: I coordinate your venue shortlist, room block, and all guest travel. Day-of wedding planning stays with your venue or wedding planner — I'll tell you exactly where my part ends before we start.

Start with this →
On the water

Private boat & yacht days

Some of the best hours of a trip happen on the water: a crewed yacht day along the coast, a speedboat to hidden coves and sea caves, a sunset sail, or a boat day added before or after your cruise. Tell me the coastline and the occasion — I'll line up the right boat.

Arranged as charters through trusted local partners, quoted per trip — I coordinate the booking, never operate the boats.

Start with this →
Travel with care

Medical travel coordination

Traveling for care — or bringing a companion along — is stressful enough without wrestling flights and hotels too. I coordinate the travel side: flights, a recovery-friendly stay near your facility, airport pickup and private transfers, companion accommodation, and help lining up appointments, translation, and travel documents, with a real person reachable while you travel.

Logistics only, and private: I don't give medical advice, recommend treatment, or price procedures — those decisions stay between you and your medical providers. Your details stay between us.

Start with this →
Groups

University & school group trips

Faculty-led and study-abroad trips, choirs and bands, sports teams and tournaments, graduation trips. I keep the group together — group flights and ground transport so nobody gets split up, room blocks, group dining, attraction tickets, individual payment links so the organizer never chases money, and travel insurance for the whole roster.

Start with this →
Groups

Church, faith & cultural groups

Holy Land journeys, Rome and the Vatican, pilgrimages and retreats, mission trips, and heritage tours rooted in where your community comes from. Leader-friendly planning, per-person payment collection, and pacing that respects the purpose of the trip — not just the sights.

Start with this →
Celebrations

Milestones & multi-generational trips

The 50th anniversary, the big birthday, three generations in one villa or on one ship. I coordinate rooms and cabins across households and budgets, plan the celebration moments — a private dinner, a group excursion, a reception onboard — and keep every generation's pace in mind.

Start with this →

Sports & event travel

Go for the game.
Stay for the trip.

Some trips start with a fixture list, not a beach. If there's a match, a race, or a final you've always wanted to see in person, I can build the whole trip around it — event tickets, flights, hotel, and transfers in one plan, so game day has a plan around it, not just a seat.

  • Soccer, the world's gamePremier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Champions League nights; Flamengo at Rio's Maracanã; Boca Juniors at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires; MLS and league matches closer to home.
  • The biggest stagesThe World Cup, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Masters, Wimbledon, Formula 1 weekends. The earlier we start, the better the seats — and the saner the prices.
  • Trips with a rhythmSamba schools and Carnival in Rio, flamenco nights in Seville, tango in Buenos Aires. Some trips are built around a dance, not a match.

The honest fine print: tickets are subject to availability and sourced through official and trusted channels — I never promise a seat I can't get. For headline events, starting months ahead makes all the difference. Ticket-only requests are welcome too; just ask.

The Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, seen from above at golden hour A flamenco dancer in a red dress performing in Seville, Spain

Why not just
book it online?

You can. Plenty of people do — then spend their vacation fixing what the website got wrong. Here's what changes when a person who travels plans it instead.

01

One real person

No call centers, no chatbots, no ticket numbers. You talk to me before the trip, reach me during it, and debrief with me after it.

02

Options, not overload

Instead of 400 browser tabs, you get a short list of choices I'd genuinely recommend — with the honest trade-offs of each.

03

Judgment from experience

25+ countries and dozens of states teach you which "great deal" is a trap, which layover is too tight, and which neighborhood you'd actually love.

04

Help when plans change

Flights get canceled. Weather happens. When it does, you have an advocate working the problem — not a hold queue.

Same price.
More on top.

Here's the part most travelers never hear: when you book hotels and cruises through a planner, you typically pay the same published price as booking direct — and preferred-partner perks get added on top. You keep your loyalty points, too. This is the pattern the best advisor sites spell out, and it's how I book whenever a partner program applies.

What preferred-partner perks can look like
PerkWhat it can mean for youThe honest fine print
Room upgradeA better room or view than the one you booked — sometimes confirmed at booking, often on arrival.Subject to availability at the property; never guaranteed.
Daily breakfast for twoBreakfast included for two guests, every day of the stay.At participating preferred-partner hotels; confirmed when we book.
Hotel, resort, or spa creditA credit toward dining, spa, or experiences during your stay — $100 per stay is the common preferred-partner standard.Amount varies by property and program; some stays offer an experience instead.
Early check-in & late check-outInto your room earlier, out of it later — the difference between a travel day and a lost day.Subject to availability; some programs confirm set times at booking.
Welcome amenity & VIP recognitionA personal welcome on arrival, and staff who know your name and your occasion before you check in.Relationship-based — strongest at hotels where I book often.
Cruise perksOnboard credit, specialty dining, or an exclusive shore excursion — on select sailings, sometimes with a dedicated onboard host and a private welcome reception.Only on selected sailings and programs; I'll tell you which sailings qualify before you book.
Group & wedding perksFree nights, upgrades, and credits toward the celebration, negotiated into your group room block.Negotiated group by group — depends on size, property, and dates.
Same price as directPartners pay me commission that's already built into the published price — perks are added on top, and your hotel and cruise loyalty points still count.If a trip ever involves a planning fee from me, I disclose it upfront, before any work starts.
~$350+

What that can add up to: on a 5-night preferred-partner hotel stay, breakfast for two (about $50 a day) plus a $100 stay credit comes to roughly $350 in added value — at the same room rate you'd pay booking direct.

Illustrative only — perks vary by property, program, and dates, and are always subject to availability. I'll confirm exactly what applies to your hotel or sailing before anything is booked. Perk patterns above reflect preferred-partner programs as described by advisor sites such as Stars Desk and Parrish Signature Voyages (researched October 29, 2026).

Going Joey logo — a globe with an airplane, the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids, and palm trees
Traveler first.
Planner always.

Meet the person behind the plan

Hey, I'm Joseph.

I've explored more than 25 countries — and covered plenty of the United States the best way there is: by car, one highway at a time.

Travel has been my life's through-line: growing up connected to Egypt, building a career across Cairo, Dubai, and Doha, and now planning trips from Pennsylvania for travelers everywhere. That mix — insider roots, world miles, and a banker's eye for value — shapes every trip I build.

Going Joey is my own business — Going Joey LLC — and it's the name behind every trip I plan. My experience also includes working through the Fora advisor platform, but when you book with me, you're working with Going Joey, start to finish.

When you plan with Going Joey, you get honest options, careful planning, and real help when plans change. Not a one-size-fits-all package, and never a hard sell.

"Don't just go. Go right — and come home with stories, not regrets."
Egypt & the Middle EastMediterraneanEurope & hidden gemsMorocco & African safarisAsiaSouth AmericaSports & event travelGroup cruisesDestination weddingsUniversity & church groupsArabic-speaking groupsFamily travelAll-inclusive resortsU.S. road tripsDay tripsTravel insurance

Easy from
hello to takeoff.

You bring the wish list. I'll bring the questions, comparisons, and experience to shape it into a trip that works.

1

Tell me the dream

Where you're thinking, who's going, and what would make this trip feel special. Five minutes, no commitment.

2

We shape the details

I turn your priorities into clear, considered options — routes, stays, and prices laid out honestly.

3

Book with confidence

We lock in the pieces that matter, with deposits, deadlines, cancellation terms, and your travel insurance options explained before you pay a cent.

4

You go enjoy it

Everything organized in one place — and a real person to contact if anything comes up while you're away.

Fair questions,
straight answers.

The things people ask me before their first trip with Going Joey.

Does it cost extra to book through you?

In most cases, no. Going Joey is my own business — Going Joey LLC — and travel partners (hotels, cruise lines, tour companies) typically pay me a commission that's already built into the price you'd pay booking direct. My background also includes experience through the Fora advisor platform. If a trip ever involves a planning fee, I'll tell you upfront, before we start. No surprises, ever.

How far ahead should I start planning?

For cruises and group trips, 6–12 months out gets you the best choice of cabins and rooms — my own friends-and-family group, for example, is already coming together for a Mediterranean reunion sailing in June 2027. For most other trips, 2–4 months is a sweet spot. That said, I've built great trips on a few weeks' notice — just ask.

Can you plan a trip for a group or the whole family?

Absolutely — groups are one of my specialties. One point of contact (me) coordinates cabins, rooms, and questions for everyone, so the organizer isn't stuck herding cats. Family reunions, friend groups scattered across different countries, churches, and clubs are all welcome — bringing people together is the best part of what I do.

What if my plans change after booking?

Life happens, and I plan for it. Before you book, I explain every deadline and cancellation term in plain language, so you always know exactly where you stand. If something changes, you reach out and we work the options together.

Do you offer travel insurance?

Yes — and I recommend it on almost every trip. Travel insurance can cover trip cancellation, interruptions, medical emergencies abroad, and lost baggage. Before you travel, I'll walk you through the options that fit your trip and your travelers, so you're protected if plans change or something goes wrong far from home.

Can you plan an African safari?

Yes — Tanzania and South Africa are the two I build most: the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, Kruger and the private reserves, plus Cape Town and the Garden Route. We time the trip around the seasons and the Great Migration, choose honestly between lodges and tented camps, and handle the internal flights, park fees, and transfers. Safaris book out early — 9 to 12 months ahead is ideal for peak season.

Can you really get tickets to big games and events?

I can build the trip around them: event tickets plus flights, hotels, and transfers in one plan. That covers league soccer in England, Spain, and Italy, Flamengo at the Maracanã, Boca Juniors at La Bombonera, and headline events like the World Cup, Formula 1, and the tennis majors. The honest fine print: tickets are subject to availability, come through official and trusted channels, and the biggest events reward starting months early. If I can't get you in, I'll tell you straight — before you book anything else around it.

Do you plan trips to Asia or South America too?

Yes — Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali in Asia; Brazil, Argentina, and Peru in South America; and more on request. These trips have longer flights and more moving parts, so the planning matters more, not less: pacing, internal flights, private guides, and recovery time built in from the start.

What are these perks people mention — and do I still earn my points?

When a hotel or cruise line has a preferred-partner program, booking through me can add things like a room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, a stay credit (often $100), and early check-in or late check-out — at the same published price, because the partner's commission is already built into that price. And yes, your hotel and cruise loyalty points and status nights still count. The honest fine print: perks are subject to availability, vary by property and sailing, and are never guaranteed — I'll confirm exactly what applies to your booking before you commit. The full breakdown is in the Perks section above.

Can you handle a destination wedding?

Yes — the travel side of it, end to end. I help match the venue (Egypt, Europe, and all-inclusive resorts are my strongest ground), negotiate the group room block — that's where free nights, upgrades, and credits toward the wedding come from — and act as the single point of contact for every guest's booking, payments, and changes, with the license and document checklist explained early. What I don't do is plan the wedding day itself; that stays with your venue or wedding planner, and I'll be clear about that line before we start.

Can you help with a medical trip?

I can coordinate the travel around it: flights, a recovery-friendly stay near your facility, airport pickup and private transfers, a companion's accommodation, and help lining up appointments, translation, and travel documents — kept private between us. What I don't do is give medical advice, recommend treatments, or price procedures; those decisions belong to you and your medical providers. If you're not sure whether your trip fits, just ask — the conversation is free and confidential.

Do you only book big international trips?

Not at all. A long weekend, a flights-and-hotel getaway, a family road trip across a few states, even a well-planned day trip — if it matters to you, it matters to me. Small trips deserve good planning too.

Where are you based — and where can you book?

I'm based in Pennsylvania and plan trips for travelers across the U.S. and Canada, to destinations worldwide. Most of our planning happens by email and message, so distance never gets in the way.

Your next trip starts here

Where are
we going?

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